


Promise Fulfilled

by Rhiannon87



Category: October Daye Series - Seanan McGuire
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-12
Updated: 2014-02-12
Packaged: 2018-01-12 01:05:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1180072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhiannon87/pseuds/Rhiannon87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tybalt promised to hold onto the hope chest for Toby, but eventually, she had to take it back. Set just after <em>Rosemary and Ruse</em>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promise Fulfilled

I stretched my legs out in front of me and stared up at the sky. It was a couple days into the new year-- into 2010. The thought still stung. Sure, I was coming back to Faerie, putting my life back together, but the date was still a pointed reminder of what I’d lost. There were some parts of my life that were gone for good.

The park bench was cold, even through my new coat, and I drummed my fingers on my leg to keep from fidgeting. Tybalt wouldn’t show unless he could startle me. My role in his little game was to give him as much space as possible to approach. Thus, staring at the stars. He could come at me from wherever he--

“You’re looking well.”

He’d materialized on the bench right next to me, the sneaky bastard. I jumped, hating myself for the reaction, though not as much as I hated the triumphant smirk on his face. “Did you bring it?” I asked.

Tybalt leaned to the side and picked up a leather satchel off the ground. “As promised,” he said gravely. 

He made to pass it to me, and I waved it away. “I’ll pick it up when I leave,” I said. The less time I had it in my hands, the better.

“Ah, so you wish to remain in my company, then?” he asked. “Will wonders never cease.”

I glared at him sideways. “I’m tired,” I said flatly. “I almost died several times in the last couple weeks. In case you hadn’t heard.”

A strange expression flickered across his face, too quickly for me to try to name it. “I’d heard.” He hesitated for a moment before adding, “I was concerned.”

I let out a sharp laugh. “Of course,” I said. “How could you collect on my debt if I died?”

“As you say.”

He sounded weary, more than anything, and it struck me that this conversation was almost… well, friendly was too strong a word. Non-hostile, perhaps. “How’s Julie?” I asked.

“Angry,” Tybalt replied, with that same weariness. I usually only thought of his Kingship in terms of dominance-- it meant he was the toughest, smartest Cat Sidhe in the city, to be able to keep his throne-- but he _was_ a ruler. That meant caring for his subjects. “She is young. She thought she was invincible. Learning the error of her ways in this manner is… harsh.”

Something about his tone of voice tugged at my mind, and I frowned, reaching for a memory that wasn’t there anymore. Perhaps something I’d picked up from his blood but hadn’t really seen? I shook my head and let it go. He’d trusted me enough to give me his blood; I’d return the favor by not prying. “It’s never an easy lesson to learn,” I replied, getting to me feet with a minimum of wincing.

He snorted. “And when do you think you’ll learn it?”

Any other time, I’d have been irritated, but he said it with such wry resignation that it struck me as funny. “Oh, I know I’m not invincible,” I said with a crooked grin. “I’ve just gotten pretty good at ignoring it and going on anyway.”

“That you have.” Tybalt had that strange look on his face again, and even with it lingering, I couldn’t name it. So instead I stepped past him and bent to pick up the satchel. I could feel the hope chest humming, even through the leather, and I let out a sigh as I slipped the strap over my shoulder. “Not going to check it?” he asked. “Make sure I’m not sending you off with a phone book?”

“No,” I said. “You keep your promises.” His mouth quirked up in a half-smile; he had a nice smile, when it wasn’t malicious. “Besides, I know you didn’t want it,” I continued. “I should be grateful you didn’t chuck it into the Bay.” The real reason I wasn’t checking was because I wasn’t sure I’d be able to resist the temptation if I laid eyes on it again. Tybalt had been smart, bringing it in the satchel.

“And what are you going to do with your prize, October?” he asked, lounging against the bench, sprawled out to take up as much space as possible now that I’d moved. It was a very cat-like pose, which made sense, given what he was. Didn’t mean it wasn’t funny to see Cait Sidhe acting like regular cats.

I sighed and shook my head. “It goes to the Queen,” I said. I didn’t like the idea, but it was the only choice. Things like this had to go to the highest power in the land. That was the Queen, mad as she might be.

“And before that?” Tybalt pressed. “Not going to take a look for yourself?”

“No.”

He tilted his head to the side, studying me for several long seconds. I’d already told him what a temptation it was for me; that’s why I’d given it to him for safekeeping in the first place. I didn’t understand why he was tempting me with it again. “It’s good to have you back, October,” he finally said.

What was it with his ability to throw me off balance no matter what he said? His barbs cut deep, and I could only assume that his compliments were meant to do the same. That’s who he was. “Right,” I said. “It must’ve been a long fourteen years without me around to torment.”

“They were long years, indeed,” he said.

I shook my head and hiked the bag up on my shoulder. It was only an hour or so before dawn. I needed to get home. “You know where to find me when you want to collect on that debt,” I said.

“That I do.”

I didn’t have the energy to puzzle out the look on his face or the tone of his voice. Instead, I just shook my head again and walked past the bench, heading for the path that would lead me out of Golden Gate Park. I’d get the chest to the Queen as soon as possible. Then this would be behind me… save for the favors collected and unpaid. But those could be dealt with later. Right now, I needed to sleep.


End file.
